A distraught nine-year-old schoolgirl dialled 999 after discovering the bodies of her mum and stepdad at their Birmingham home.

The youngster found Suzanne Van Hagen, 34, and John Worton, 37, dead in the ground-floor maisonette in Miranda Close, Frankley, at around 10am on Friday.

The schoolgirl dialled 999 and police were at the scene within minutes. It is understood she is now being cared for by her grandparents, supported by specially trained officers.

Police named the deceased couple and said they were treating the deaths as ‘unexplained’ until post mortems are carried out.

Neighbours said the couple had lived at the property for about a year and claimed Mr Worton had been released from the nearby Reaside psychiatric unit at Christmas.

Edward Bond, who has lived in the close for 40 years, said: “He’s been in and out of Reaside. When he took his medication he was fine, but when he wasn’t he was a complete nightmare and was the neighbour from hell.”